


would she be that cruel?

by faedemon



Series: faedemon's Phic Phight 2020 [1]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Character Study, Child Neglect, Dissociation, Divorce, Gen, Ghost Obsession, Hurt/Comfort, Obsession, POV Danny Fenton, Past Child Neglect, Phic phight 2020, Post-Divorce, Reconciliation, Vlad Masters is Danny and Jazz's Godfather, vlad is not a bad guy but he gave in to his obsessions proclivity toward animosity and violence, vlads actions arent excused but hes a much needed support for danny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23428699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faedemon/pseuds/faedemon
Summary: Danny has not truly trusted his parents for a long time, but Maddie Fenton had still been his mom. She, despite the cold gleam of the sun reflecting off her goggles, and despite the heavy barrels of the weapons she carried, had still been the woman he’d go to when he felt sick, or wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but didn’t have the motivation to make it.Or, Danny has complicated relationships with the adults in his life, and they only grow more so as his world changes, following the day his mother doesn't come to visit him in the hospital.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Vlad Masters, Jack Fenton & Vlad Masters
Series: faedemon's Phic Phight 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685395
Comments: 64
Kudos: 773
Collections: Phic Phight!, The Witch's Woods, my best fics





	1. i'm surprised you took my side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PhantomKick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomKick/gifts).



> My first Phic for the Phight!! The prompt for this one comes from [PhantomKick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomKick) aka tumblr user [phantomroyalty](https://phantomroyalty.tumblr.com/) and is as follows:
> 
> Jack and Maddie get a divorce. Surprisingly Vlad has nothing to do with it, even more so he is on Jack’s side.
> 
> Also, this story is cross-posted on FFN under the username faedemonn, and can be found [here](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13575612/1/would-she-be-that-cruel).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How relationships change in the wake of Maddie making a choice.

Danny takes to sitting against the wall by the top of the stairs.

It’s a spot just out of sight of the main sitting room, close enough to eavesdrop but not so that he might be seen from below. Not that they’ll be looking for him—both Vlad and his dad probably assume he’s holed up in one of the guest rooms, like Jazz is.

Jack and Vlad have hardly left the great space at the bottom of the stairs. Danny’s hesitant to think his dad has left at all, actually; it’s Vlad who has paced to and fro between the kitchens and this room, bringing water and snacks that Jack doesn’t touch. Since arriving, and setting himself down in one of the armchairs most definitely meant more for decoration than for actually sitting on, Danny’s dad has hardly twitched an eyebrow, let alone stood.

He has spoken, though. Jack and Vlad have done a lot of speaking, and Danny, sat at the top of the stairs, ignoring the numbness in his butt and the fuzziness of his thoughts, listens.

“Can you fight for the house?” Vlad asks in a low voice. “I can back you in court.”

“No.” Jack breathes out heavily. “It’s is in her name. She bought it outright with inheritance money, we didn’t get a mortgage.”

“I can buy you a house,” Vlad says, without hesitation.

“You don’t need to do that, Vladdie. I have enough of my own to get a small place for a while.” There’s a shuffling noise. “I’ll have to get a job, though. No doubt she’ll remove my access to the business. That’s hers, too.”

“Jack, I am a _billionaire_ —” Vlad starts, but Jack cuts him off.

“No. I don’t want pity money,” he says harshly, and for a moment, neither of them speak.

“Then you can stay here,” Vlad presses, and Jack explodes.

“Stop! I don’t need _handouts_ , Vlad!”

“It’s not a handout!” he shouts back. With the air still ringing, Vlad pushes on. “But even if it was, think of your children. You might be able to support yourself on fumes, you might be okay with living roughly for a while, but are you okay with that for Jasmine and Daniel?” Silence. “If you won’t let me give anything to you, let me give it to them. It can be a present, if you like, from their godfather.”

Godfather. Huh. Danny hadn’t known that.

“Do you really think Madeline will cut you out of Fentonworks?” Vlad asks then, in a softer tone, clearly changing tracks. “Would she be that cruel?”

Jack snorts. It’s not a nice sound. “You know her, Vlad. She can be vindictive as all hell. We both know that my name is only on that company because she married me. She did almost everything herself.” He sighs. “I was just… along for the ride. I know how things work, but I’m not an innovator. You and Maddie know the science much better than I do.”

It’s weird, listening to his dad talk to Vlad. Danny has never been privy to any private conversations between his parents, if they ever had any, and to hear his dad’s voice, spoken without the knowledge that a child is nearby, is so strange. The enthusiasm his dad always bore had just been a fact of life, but hearing him now, Danny realizes it was like the voice you talk to your pets in. He’s never heard his dad’s real, flat speaking tone before.

Or maybe that’s just the grief.

Danny hears a short, muffled intake of breath before Jack speaks again. “I just—I wish I could patch things up with her, and we could go along like this never happened. We’ve had our rough spots before.” His voice cracks.

“But you can’t,” Vlad says, gently. His voice is the softest Danny’s ever heard it, and yet the words—not even directed at him—still strike as deadly a blow.

“No, I can’t,” Jack agrees. He chuckles dryly. “God, what _happened_ , Vladdie? Why is she—” He cuts himself off, breathing in, then out.

“I don’t know,” Vlad says carefully. “But she made her choice, and you made yours.” After a moment, Vlad says, “And, frankly, you made the right choice.”

Neither of them speak for a few minutes. Were Danny in a more present state of mind, he might have gotten up and returned to the room Vlad had set him up in. As it is, Danny remains there, unmoving, his brain floating along in a haze only broken when his dad speaks again.

“I’m surprised you took my side,” Jack says, and Vlad doesn’t say _why_ or _of course I would_ , though Danny might have. He’d been so convinced his dad really didn’t see any of Vlad’s jealousy and animosity, and yet as he listens now, it’s clear Danny had been the one who was naïve. “You still love her, don’t you, Vladdie?”

Vlad does not answer the second question. Idly, Danny calls to mind that old theory of his, that Vlad’s obsession had become his mother. He wonders if Vlad suspects it, too—if he realizes that obsession does not equal love.

“She is in the wrong,” Vlad says, carefully. “As fond as I am of her, I will not condone child neglect.”

It’s still a punch to hear that phrase, no matter how many times it’s been tossed around, bounced between the tongues of his dad and his apparent godfather. They kept it out of the legal proceedings—even his mom agreed to that, though probably more to avoid charges than anything else—but Danny still hears them talk about it. Still hears what his mom said echo in his mind, ravenously devouring his capacity to consider anything else. Danny is alone in his head sat facing the knowledge that his mother would pick her work over her children, static engulfing all the rest.

Danny has not truly trusted his parents for a long time, but Maddie Fenton had still been his mom. She, despite the cold gleam of the sun reflecting off her goggles, and despite the heavy barrels of the weapons she carried, had still been the woman he’d go to when he felt sick, or wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but didn’t have the motivation to make it.

Now she can’t be. Maddie Fenton is his mother but she can’t be his _mom_ , not when he’d come home close to bleeding out after a bad fight with a ghost and Jazz had forced him to go to the hospital. And his dad had come as quick as he could, sat up with him at his bedside, chattered with the doctors and unintentionally made excuses for Danny’s fucked up DNA, murmuring things about _ectocontamination_ and _not a lasting impact to his health_ , not knowing a lick about Phantom. And Jazz had called their mom at home, to ask when she’d be coming in. Jazz had put her on speaker, so they could all listen.

“Oh, he’ll be fine with your dad there, sweetie. I’m so close to a breakthrough! I’ll see you guys when you get home,” Danny’s mother had said.

His head had already been foggy because of the pain meds, but that’s when the real fuzz settled in. He could hear just fine, was taking it all in, could hear questions asked of him and answer them, but something in his chest hung heavier. Apathy clouded his head and bones.

Jazz fought their mother, at that. She’d said, “He’s really bad, mom. I think he’d appreciate it if you were here.”

Maddie responded, “He’s a big boy, Jazz. He can deal with it. I really can’t afford the distraction.”

“Your son nearly _died_ , mom! Come to the fucking hospital!” Danny has never heard Jazz get so mad, then or since, not even for the stupidest things he’s done.

“Jasmine, I will not tolerate that tone. Your brother is fine. I’ll see you when you get home.” She hung up, then.

She hung up.

It doesn’t take long for Danny’s dad to speak again, and when he does, it’d break Danny’s heart if he were a little less far away. “Am I in the wrong here, too, Vladdie?” Jack’s voice cracks. “All this time we’ve been down in the lab, leaving Jazzy and Danny to themselves—”

“You can’t blame yourself, Jack. That wasn’t done out of any malice and, regardless of what happened before, you know better now.” Vlad’s voice is so strangely comforting. His and Danny’s relationship has been better lately, but it’s still foreign to hear him so truly _kind_. “In any case, when Daniel was hurt, you stopped working to be with him. Maddie did not.”

Danny doesn’t blame his dad for being neglectful. It was probably wrong; Jazz definitely thinks so. Danny just can’t blame him, though. That’s his _dad_. He loves Danny.

“I love you, buddy,” Jack had said, pressing a kiss into Danny’s hair.

“Your brother is fine,” his mother had said, one month ago when he was in the hospital near-dead from a gash to the stomach.

“What if full custody isn’t the right choice? What if I go back to the same habits, Vlad? I don’t—” Jack sucks in a shuddering breath before continuing. “I don’t want to hurt them.”

“Would you rather let them still be in Madeline’s care?” Vlad points out. “If nothing else, I will keep you in check, as their godfather.”

A month ago, standing by Jack’s side, voice turned against Maddie, Vlad’s throat had seemed constricted. He’d looked at Danny’s mom with this insurmountable grief, betrayal swimming in with it, and every word spoken against her had seemed a struggle to rip from his throat, at least as far as Vlad could struggle.

The man’s mask has never been so neat or clean, in the weeks after Jack had asked him for help. Danny knows Vlad well enough by now to know that the more poised be becomes, the more rattled he is inside. His matter-of-fact words, his neat accusations, had been the equivalent of a different person’s voice shaking. Of being on the verge of tears.

It’s been a month, though, and after Vlad made the choice to support Jack, Danny has slowly been listening to Vlad’s throat relax. His obsession on Maddie has been releasing, finger by finger, and the intensity with which he had gazed at her, spoken of her with, is almost gone.

Vlad says “Madeline” like she’s a stranger, and he speaks to Jack like a friend. Jazz’ll have a field day with how his mind works, whenever she comes out of her room.

At the thought, Danny almost chuckles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you liked this chapter, leave a comment!! :>


	2. i'm glad i can talk to you now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vlad, in the new context of Danny's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes a turn away from the divorce and examines how Danny's life, and specifically his relationship with Vlad, will change as a result of Maddie's absence.

It takes another few weeks for Danny to come out of his fugue. Jazz had reacted more violently than he did, and tuckered herself out sooner. She’d just begun to learn how to cope with their new situation when Danny’s mind finally caught up with itself and he registered the gravity of what had happened. At this point, he’s taking it day to day, recontextualizing everything and talking with his sister and with Vlad and his friends.

Talking with Vlad is something that’s happened a surprising amount, lately. The man is so much different, without his obsession pushing antagonism—for Danny’s sure that’s what it had been, before—and it doesn’t excuse his actions, but Danny knows what an obsession feels like. He decides firmly that he’s willing to move forward and put the past aside, if only until he’s stable enough to unpack more baggage.

Vlad is still Vlad. He’s the same man, but his quirks are more benign, now. His straight posture is less looming and more steadying. His mansion is no longer a gaping maw, but a comforting maze, and Danny finds himself more than once lost in the stacks of the man’s library, content to remain among the heavy press of books before Vlad finds him, and they sit and talk, their voices muffled by the pages far before they could ever make it to the door.

“Dora’s sweet. You should meet her, she’s nothing like Aragon,” Danny says softly, picking at the corner of a book. Vlad snorts, and Danny would expect the sound to cut through the quiet, but this deep in Vlad’s library, everything is a little muffled. It’s a weird sound to hear from him, too. Danny doesn’t think he’s ever heard the guy really laugh.

“I’d hope not. Aragon acts like a child,” Vlad says haughtily, bringing the glass of wine he’d brought with him to his lips. Danny grins, even despite his own hesitance, and Vlad looks away, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Have you met Pandora?”

“Yes! She’s like a mom, oh my god,” Danny exclaims, spreading his hands. “I like her, but if I stay for too long she starts worrying if I’m eating enough.” Danny smiles, but as he speaks, Vlad’s own expression grows strained. He doesn’t respond for a moment, letting the silence linger.

“Daniel,” Vlad begins, and the light if awkward air vanishes in place of something more serious. “How have you been faring?” Danny’s lips close on a smile he can’t keep up.

After a tense moment, he says, “What do you expect, Vlad?” and nothing else. Vlad nods, pressing his lips together, like he’d anticipated that. Maybe he had.

“I wish a ghost would come attack so I could blow off some steam,” Danny says pointedly. Vlad has warned as many ghosts as will listen to him off attacking for a while, Danny’s sure, and whatever slips through the cracks, he must be having Valerie take care of.

“I don’t think beating someone to a pulp is the best outlet for whatever you might be feeling, little badger,” Vlad says carefully. That nickname has changed, too. The way he says it isn’t quite so slimy anymore. It’s a little more fond.

Danny sticks his tongue out before speaking again. “How long did it take you to learn how to control your powers?” he asks, changing the subject completely. Vlad blinks, but takes the turn in stride, though judging from his disgruntled expression, he wasn’t done on the subject.

“I got them gradually, as the ecto-acne dug into my system. Once my alternate form became available to me, it was only a few months before I got the hang of most things, though I wouldn’t say I’d mastered them yet,” he says openly. “Why?”

“Dunno. Just asking.” Danny scuffs his shoe against the carpet. He’s sitting in a cozy armchair, and Vlad sits across from him on the floor, back against a bookcase and legs pulled up. His wine glass dangles from one hand almost carelessly. “It didn’t take me super long to figure it out, but I kept getting new powers.”

“Like what?”

“The wail came later, for one. And the ice.” Danny stops. “What’s your core?”

Vlad doesn’t answer immediately. “Are you saying the ice comes from your core?”

“I mean… yeah. That’s what Frostbite said, anyway. What do you mean?”

“Nothing.” Vlad waves a hand dismissively. “I simply wouldn’t have expected that, based on… well. Most ghosts’ cores have something to do with how they died. Like Ms. McLain. House fire, fire core.”

“So, what, I should have electric powers or something? That’d be cool. I like ice, though.” Vlad shrugs. “What’s yours?”

“Fire. You could say the proto-portal was a tad more _molten_ than it is today,” Vlad says lightly, though his lips twitch up. Danny grins in response. This is the kind of thing he missed out on, only having Sam and Tuck and Jazz to talk to. They’d always been a touch too concerned to laugh at his more morbid jokes.

“I like this,” Danny blurts out. When Vlad stares at him, obviously waiting for him to continue, he says, “Being able to talk about stuff like this, I mean. It was, I don’t know, lonely.”

Vlad smiles a little sadly. “Yes, I know what you mean.” His expression screws into something more regretful. “I’m sorry we couldn’t have spoken like this before.”

_Couldn’t_ is a strong word. Obsessions can do a lot to restrict you, but they can still be broken free of. Vlad didn’t bother to try until Maddie had committed a sin beyond his capacity to condone.

Still. A man like that—maybe he had never realized he _could_ try until now.

“Me too,” Danny says, playing with the cover of the book in his lap. “I’ve had so many questions about how we work and how I’m going to change. I always—” He pauses, glancing up at Vlad, who listens, attentive. Despite the sudden embarrassment that colors his cheeks, Danny presses on. “I always wished I could ask you, without feeling like you might hold it over me.”

Vlad’s eyebrows knit together. He doesn’t deny the accusation. “You can ask anything you like.”

Danny opens his mouth, but all the questions that have been careening around in his head since the beginning like bumper cars seem to dart away. He can’t remember any of them, so he closes his lips. “Not right now,” Danny says softly, and Vlad just nods.

They remain there, not speaking, for a while. The high windows above them see the light grow dimmer and dimmer, until a door distantly opens and some servant turns the lamps on, setting the library in a moody glow. Dramatic lighting.

“Vlad?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad I can talk to you now.” Danny’s ears grow hot, and he hurries to justify it. “I mean—things aren’t great right now, and I’m upset, but I’m happy that you’re not, uh. Trying to hurt me anymore.”

Vlad meets Danny’s eyes. His gaze swirls with things unnamable, but sitting right at the forefront is regret, and Danny watches in almost fascination as Vlad downs the rest of his wine in one gulp and sets the glass down.

After a thick silence, Vlad says, “Me too. I—me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys liked this story! please leave a comment if you did. it means a lot :)
> 
> also give the other phic phighters of this year some love!!!!!!


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